Sleep hygiene - Revive HRT

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene refers to the behaviors, habits, and practices that promote consistent, restful sleep. Good sleep hygiene is crucial for both physical and mental health.

When we practice good sleep hygiene, we set ourselves up for sound slumber that truly recharges the body and mind. On the flip side, poor sleep hygiene can lead to fatigue, impaired cognition and focus, weakened immunity, and even weight gain over time.

Some key principles of sleep hygiene include:

• Sticking to a regular sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day, even on weekends, to sync your body clock.
• Creating an optimal sleep environment. Make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark. Consider using blackout curtains, a white noise machine, and ensuring your mattress and pillows are comfortable.
• Avoiding screens before bed. Blue light from devices can suppress melatonin and keep your brain alert. Put devices away 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
• Watching what you eat and drink before bed. Heavy meals, spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime can all disrupt sleep.
• Having a soothing pre-bed routine. Take time to unwind with a book, gentle yoga stretches, deep breathing, or meditation before bed.

A few other sleep hygiene tips include avoiding daytime naps, getting regular exercise (but not too close to bedtime), and keeping your bedroom tidy and distraction-free.

Why is sleep hygiene so crucial? High-quality sleep powers the glymphatic system, a brain "cleaning" mechanism that flushes out metabolic waste. Skimping on sleep prevents this system from working properly. Thus, poor sleep hygiene raises the risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, and neurodegenerative disease over the long run.

By optimizing key behaviors and habits around sleep, we can reap tremendous health rewards. From sharpened cognition to balanced hormones, enhanced immunity to regulated appetite, good sleep nourishes nearly every system in the body. Establishing stellar sleep hygiene truly pays dividends across all aspects of health and well-being.